Some ink printing devices use a single printhead, but many use a plurality of printheads to increase the rate of printing. For example, some devices utilize a plurality of printhead arrays in which each array has multiple printheads arranged end to end across an image receiving surface. The ends of the printheads of an array are aligned at locations referred to as stitch lines or stitch joints. Differences in printing characteristics of the printheads on either side of a stitch line, such as drop mass, position or some other attribute, may result in visible stitch line defects between printheads. Stitch line defects may exhibit as either a specific line defect at the stitch joint or as a density shift between printheads. In either case, stitch line defects may result in an image quality defect known as banding that extends in the process direction on a printed media. Methods have been developed for compensating or masking stitch line defects between printheads of a printhead array. In previously known printhead systems that utilize multiple printhead arrays to form images on an image receiving surface, the stitch lines of the multiple printheads were aligned. Aligning the stitch lines of multiple printhead arrays may cause stitch line defects from different printhead arrays to coincide and become even more visible.